1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an endoscope in which a display device which displays an endoscopic image picked up by image pickup means is provided at an operation portion.
2. Description of Related Art
As a light source of an endoscope, a light source lamp incorporated in a light source device, which is a peripheral device to which an endoscope is connected, has been known. When illumination light is supplied from the light source device to the endoscope, the illumination light emitted from the light source lamp is transmitted by a light guide fiber extended through the endoscope via an operation portion from a universal cord of the endoscope to the distal end of the insertion portion and then, radiated to a portion to be inspected from the distal end of the insertion portion.
Also, with the purpose of simplifying an entire endoscope device comprised by an endoscope and peripheral devices, an endoscope is known recently in which the light source is comprised by a light emitting diode, which is provided inside the endoscope, and a display device displaying an endoscopic image is connected to an operation portion.
With the configuration that the light source comprised by a light emitting diode is provided inside the endoscope, the light source device connected to the endoscope is not needed any more, which can simplify the endoscope device and also since the light emitting diode can emit light with saved power as compared with a light source lamp and the like, power saving of the endoscope device can be promoted. Also, with the configuration that the display device is connected to the operation portion, a monitor connected to the endoscope is not needed any more, which can simplify the endoscope device.
Moreover, inside the operation portion of the endoscope, an image pickup device such as CCD receiving an image (light) guided by an image guide and a light collecting lens for forming an image on a light receiving portion of the image pickup device are provided, and in the display device, an image processing circuit is provided such as an image pickup device control circuit outputting an image of a photographic subject picked up by the image pickup device converted into a signal.
There are many proposals made as prior arts of this type of endoscope device such as Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-237513 and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-342399.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-237513 discloses a prior art relating to an endoscope device in which a grasping portion is provided and an operation portion connected to a proximal end of an insertion portion and a support portion provided at the operation portion and rotatably supporting the display device are provided, and by configuring a display screen of the display device rotatable around the axis crossing the longitudinal direction of the grasping portion, when an operator grasps the operation portion capable of operation, the display screen can be faced in a direction easy to be seen even if the direction of the operation portion is changed.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-342399 discloses a prior art relating to an endoscope device in which an endoscope with a grasping portion and a display device are integrally provided and is configured with an image display device mounted so as to protrude from the side portion of the endoscope so that the image display device is located on gripping fingers other than the thumb when the grasping portion is grasped with the thumb up. Then, weight balance is improved, a burden on fingers in use is reduced and operation is easy for a long time.